Subtle Orange
by Imyoshi
Summary: And just for a little while, Ron Stoppable could finally see the image buried beneath the layers of junk.


**Disclaimer:** I own nothing of Kim Possible.

**Subtle Orange**

**By: Imyoshi**

Ron stood idly by, watching a few no name criminals being hauled away from their foiled attempts at a high end-tech robbery. None of which had they been fully prepared to deal with Team Possible—the stubborn fools.

Kim was possibly nearby, somewhere, most likely talking to a few police officers and the occasional noisy reporter hoping to get an interview. He stayed behind, away from it all to observe the criminals being whisked away, nothing really too out of the ordinary for another hero sitch day.

His judging gaze could've easily been misinterpreted for feelings of loathe and pity for the poor criminals. A common sight most would expect from the sidekick of a hero. But behind that self created mask, a mind was at work. Thinking at the villain's plans and instead, really giving them looks of annoyance and disappointment.

This wasn't even the first time he looked at _them_.

From start to finish, whenever they crashed the villains' party, Ron easily observed and discovered all the fatal flaws in there plots. Their execution, battle plans, teamwork, escape route, hell even their overall goal. From start to damn finish he observed, silently filling in their loop holes with his own personal thoughts at how their plan should've been executed. All at which came frightening natural to him.

He didn't have an excuse to why he thought his thoughts. Nor did he feel like needing an excuse to begin with. If Ron really thought hard on it, he wouldn't be able to give a clear answer. The closest assumption he ever drew up was... it just happened.

And for a while he might add.

He knew he shouldn't be thinking about these thoughts every time. It sent so many bad road meters in his head. Telling himself that he could've done a way better job in half the time and with less effort didn't particularly make him feel better either. Neither did it however leave an unsettling taste.

The feeling only vexed the poor teen, confusing him greatly. The thought of doing a far better job than the incompetent villains in the world always forced a small grin to appear. No matter how small and reluctant he felt, it always appeared, sometimes even turning into a smirk.

Of course, Ron always had to compel the emotions away, hating himself a bit more every time. For no matter how bad it sounded, and Ron knew it sounded bad; it's hard for him to forget the one moment in his life when everything just... clicked.

_The more we fought evil, the more Shego liked it._

That one exact part of his life when everything he did fit all together in harmony—like a puzzle. And Ron Stoppable had been that puzzle, long forgotten, forever abandoned to remain incomplete, never fully understanding what the picture before him was set to be. Until an accidental transfer of evil, through a various mishap with Dr. Drakken, moved all the pieces together, clearing the image. And just for a little while, Ron Stoppable could finally see the image buried beneath the layers of junk. And for once he felt whole—content—complete.

Damn it too hell he had felt complete. And that feeling of being whole made him happy, but that happiness is what scared him the most.

Because just for a small moment in time, Ron Stoppable truly understood, what being complete meant to him and he was scared.

Scared for not knowing where this path he walked led.

At first he refused to accept the path at all, silencing his inner turmoil. Fruitlessly he tried to block the slow, but unstoppable ideas of inventions and plots that formed in his head, chalking it to crazy thoughts. However, the ideas never ceased to stop and Ron somewhat found that calming against his judgment. Not his better judgment, he refused to acknowledge that. At least for a while he believed he did.

Until the little things like watching the next pathetic wave of villains annoy some part of him at their utter most stupidity. It slowly agitated him in ways he couldn't comprehend. Or rather... choose not to. It wasn't his business to judge them for their ineffectiveness, no matter how much he reluctantly wanted to.

Still, his sudden growing curiosity only fueled him enough to slowly accept the truth and unknowingly lifting a burden off his already tense shoulders.

Ron found that he took pleasure in judging the fools of both super villainy and normal villainy. He enjoyed pointing out their fatal flaws, seeing the easy to avoid mistakes they fumbled with, and watching them to crash and burn quickly. The distaste he felt for them had also drifted off from the hate a hero would feel to more pity and ashamed. If he wanted to, he could do a way better job than all the villains Kim and him faced on a daily basis and he'd be happier doing it.

Ron sighed, those thoughts—they always lingered.

This only left one question. Where did this leave him?

_The fighting?_

Watching the last criminal get hauled away, Ron decided it was time to go find Kim, and tiredly pondered more over the sitch as his search started, always stubbornly coming back to the same question.

Where _did_ this leave him?

He wasn't going to deny it anymore, against all odds; Ron Stoppable had long accepted his growing attachment to the darker side. Sometimes he even wondered of the possibility of embracing that side of him again, even for a short while.

The idea wasn't tempting during the first time he thought of it. If anything, it was downright repulsive, but it got easier and easier in time. And what made it worse was that he happened to be so good at it. It infuriated him. Evil had come so naturally to him. Almost second nature!

It would be so easy to give into the darkness—so easy to leap, rather than fall. Bending his will to make his goals—whatever they may be—possible. And in some ways... actually find that same happiness again.

But again... where did that leave _him_.

Zorpox?

No. No, not again. Zorpox was just another fool. He was childish, loudmouth, and most of all unnecessary. Who he wanted to be was Ron—Ronald would be difficult, elaborate, and straight to the point.

But even if he wanted to follow these inner ambitions somewhat, a wall stood before him. A warm succulent wall built from the root of his problems. Problems? Ron wasn't even sure he could call _them_ that. His friends and family shouldn't be problems—ever. However, they were.

And the biggest problem of them all—!

"C'mon Ron!"

Looking up, not even realizing his sight had drifted from the pavement to her, Kim waved over to him excessively. It appeared that their ride home was finally there.

Stopping for a second, Ron forced a smile. There in front of him stood the biggest problem. He didn't even want to think of the consequences for both good and bad that would involve Kim. How his actions and inner thoughts would seem to her. Not now.

Fighting back his thoughts for now, he walked over; sitting beside her in the copter's seats, bluntly ignoring the way the pilot was talking up a storm with Kim. Instead he played his part. Sitting idly by and deliberately playing the fool—the sidekick.

Smiling that foolish smile, Ron leaned back, subtly glaring at the others every now and then.

Yea, he'll play the lovable goofy sidekick... but for how long?

He didn't particularly know. And oddly he was fine with it. The world was safe and that was all that mattered.

_The evil._

At least for now.

* * *

**Author Notes: **I hate puzzles.


End file.
